Page 23 of Rags to Royals

“Okay, that’s fair.”

“Then she started preaching to me, the way she always does. About how lying is a sin and how I’m just trying to build myself up to seem more important and how I need to look within myself for my self-worth instead of making up stories about knowing important people.”

I feel anger ignite in my gut. That sounds like bullshit. Who is this girl? She knows nothing about Mariah’s mom’s situation with me. She’s lecturing Mariah aboutherself-worth? I don’t know Mariah, but she’snotlying. Scarlett definitely knows me. In the Biblical sense. I wonder if Leah would find that ironic.

There’s a pause in the kitchen. “Can you believe that?” Mariah asks. “She thinks thisprivateconversation I’m having withnot heris my attempt to try to feel important? We were talking quietly. If I wanted everyone to hear it, I could have made that happen. But no, only Leah heard us and the only reason everyone else heard about it is because she opened her big mouth! And that I feel the need to make up stories because I don’t feel good about myself? I’msooffended by that! I’m insulted that she thinks I care what she thinks about me!”

There you go, Mariah.I’ve never met this girl, but I want to fist-bump her right now.

“So then you just ignored her because youdon’tcare and you just went on about your day, right?” Ruby asks, her tone full of hope.

“For the rest of study hall, yes.”

“Good.”

“But I donotappreciate being slandered like that,” Mariah says.

Damn right,I think.

“Damn right,” Greta says.

I smile. I like her too.

“I ignored her in English class too.”

“Okay. Good.”

“But then we had lunch.”

“Oh.” Ruby now sounds resigned. “What happened at lunch?”

“I thought about quoting Matthew seven to her about being a hypocrite,” Mariah says.

I laugh softly and I look up to find Henry grinning.

“But then I decided to quoteMean Girlsinstead.”

“You asked her why she’s so obsessed with you, right?” Ruby asks.

Mariah laughs. “God, I love that movie.”

Ruby sighs. Both Henry and I snort.

“Oh, I also spilled tomato juice on her virginal white blouse.”

“Mariah!”

There is a door between us and I can’t see her, but I swear I can hear that Ruby is trying to suppress a laugh though.

“She should really wear darker colors. I know she considers it a statement, but all of that white is a liability,” Mariah adds.

“As if you wearing red all the time isn’t some kind of statement?” Ruby asks.

“Of course it is. And I own it,” Mariah says.

“Red all the time?” I ask Henry.

He nods with an affectionate smile. “Always at least a part of her outfit.”

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